This podcast includes the history of the Four Chaplains' selfless sacrifice and Matt's remark at a recent Four Chaplains' Service conducted by the local American Legion.

Four U.S. Army Chaplains gave up their life jackets and prayed together when their transport ship, the U.S.A.T Dorchester was torpedoed eighty miles south of Greenland on February 3, 1943. The Chaplains came from different faiths and backgrounds.

John P. Washington was a Catholic Priest from Kearny, New Jersey, Rabbi Alexander D. Goode was a native of York, Pennsylvania. Clark V. Poling was a a minister in the Reformed Church in America at the First Reformed Church in Schenectady, New York. George L. Fox, a decorated World War One veteran, was a Methodist minister in Gilman, Vermont.

The story of the Four Chaplain’s includes not only the background of the Chaplains, their interfaith cooperation, and their selfless sacrifice but it also includes the memories of the close to seven hundred lives lost that day, the stories of the survivors, the bravery of the rescuers and those who are inspired even today.

We may never be asked to give up our own life jacket to save another person, but the story of the Four Chaplains can inspire us to reach out a helping hand in a time of need.

(from The Four Chaplains Memorial Foundation webpage)

What an incredible College Football National Championship game! There were too many great life lessons you could take away from those amazing four quarters. Never stop playing or giving it your all, even until the last second. Always work hard to finish strong. Never count out the underdog. In this podcast, Matt wants to encourage you, in your everyday life, to believe in your Team, your Coaches (mentors), and especially yourself. Quarterback Deshaun Watson’s now famous advice to his team, “Let’s be legendary,” is a perfect example of how necessary it is to have faith in many areas of your life to succeed. Life may be full of ups and downs, but it pays for believers to remember that we know what the last play of the game is, and the final score.

In college, Corie and I were introduced to the “Think-Feel-Do” cycle. Simply, how we think about things will often shape how we feel about them. Those feelings then influence our actions, which will either confirm our thoughts, or give us reason to think differently. And then the cycle starts all over again. When it comes to our marriages, we have a choice to “Think-Feel-Act” differently in four ways to intentionally influence ourselves and our spouse for the better. In this podcast, Matt explains a simple way to ensure that we are honoring our spouse whether we are in their presence or away from them, whether we are alone together or in public around others. Choosing to speak loving and honoring things about your spouse will increase your gratitude and respect for them. Interrupt a negative “Think-Feel-Do” cycle by choosing a new action that influences you to think about them differently.

The initial Episode is an interview with Jory Brown, a Veteran of Iraq & Afghanistan. We deployed together in 2009 and he agreed to discuss his struggle with PTSD & Moral Injury, his fight against suicide, and his road to recovery. He is honest and vulnerable, and I believe that Veterans will find much in common with what he opens up about. We know that these types of conversations are happening all-day, every-day across the globe, but there is still so much that needs to be done. We hope that this encourages you to begin and continue your combat conversations with the end result of connection and healing. If you are struggling with Suicide, there are dozens of resources available. Visit: http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org or https://www.veteranscrisisline.net or call 1-800-273-8255.